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And the winners are...

I chose to publish the list of winners separated from the previous post because I want to speak about about the awards. Analyse them, if you wish.

I don't care too much about awards and medals of any kind, but these ones are for me of some importance because they are given by the association that represents consumers. I'm not sure how Sdružení přátel piva choose the winners, nor what criteria is used for some of the awards, and though many are questionable, I have no doubt of the honesty of the people of SPP.

Jedenáctka 2008First: Ležák 11° from Pivovar KlášterSecond: Otakar ležák from PoličkaThird: Svijanský Maz from SvijanyI might like Otakar a bit more, but I think Klášter is a fair winner, after all it is the fourth time in a row that they take the prize.

Speciál 2008First: Primátor Exklusiv 16° from Pivovar NáchodSecond: Kvasar from Černá HoraThird: Démon from LobkowiczThis is a difficult category, Speciály are those with at least 13°balling, so the range is huge. It is enough to have a look at the list above to get an idea. Exklusiv (well deserved) is a pale strong lager, Kvasar is also a pale with 14°balling and with honey and Démon is a 13° polotmavé.

Tmavé pivo 2008:First: Budweiser Budvar tmavý ležákSecond: Speciální černé pivo from BernardThird: Svijanská Kněžna from SvijanyHere I don't agree at all. Budvar tmavé is a fine beer, but it's not even close to the one from Bernard or Herold, that wasn't even mentioned. Besides, this is a category that should be broken down since it scopes all dark beers regardless of their gravity.

Polotmavé 2008:First: Skalák from RohozecSecond: Primátor Pale Ale from Pivovar NáchodThird: Primátor polotmavé 13° from Pivovar NáchodAnother winner I don't agree about. Skalák wins it for a second year in a row and I don't think it deserves it. It is, for me, the weakest product from Rohozec, whose beers I like a lot. Both samples from Primátor are far superior.

Minipivovar 2008:First: Prague’s Klášterní Pivovar StrahovSecond: Pivovarský dvůr ChýněThird: Malostranský pivovar in Velké MeziříčíAnother that wins back to back awards. The beers from Strahov have improved considerable in the last couple of years. However, I think Chýně brews more interesting and daring beers.Pivovar 2008:First: SvijanySecond: Budweiser BudvarThird: Pivovar Náchod (Primátor)This is one of the categories for which I don't know what criteria was used. Does Svijany deserve the award? Stricktly beerwise, they haven't done anything new recently, on the other hand, they have grown a lot. More and more people know and appreciate their beers every day. I think that, to a certain extent, they have taken Bernard's place as an alternative brewery in the mind of many consumers. Budvar as second, not a chance, they haven't innovated, they haven't grown, they haven't done anything new worth mentioning. Primátor should be in their place (if not first)Sládek (brewmaster) 2008:Ing. Josef Tolar from Budweiser BudvarThere is no doubt that he is someone who does his job very well. The question I have is wether he would still be able to brew Budvar the same way if the company was privatised.

About dark beers - first round is selection by members votes. So those beers like Herold and Bernard might not have made it to final round. And Budvar's version is the one that is not sweet among the big breweries ofeers. So I agree